Our History
How It All Began
Founded in 2003, by Renee Richard, inspired by the experience of countless Black and Brown girls who found themselves isolated and "othered" in classrooms where they were the only students of color, it became our founder’s mission to create a sisterhood to build the self-esteem of young Black and Brown girls and inspire them to reach their full potential. Through mentorship with accomplished women of color, Cinnamongirls joined a pipeline of remarkable female leaders, innovators, and thinkers living out their greatest dreams—without relying on validation from anyone other than themselves.
2019 - 2025
In 2019, we launched the first of our “subject”-based cohorts: Travelgirl. This marked a transition from a one-on-one mentorship model to our four key cohorts focused on bringing girls together to develop their skills and experiences in reading, writing, entrepreneurship, and travel. In 6 years, Cinnamongirls traveled to 8 destinations (6 international, 2 domestic), read 50+ books, launched multiple businesses, and contributed to 3 anthologies featuring the work of over 30 young authors.
Meeting the Moment
Now, in 2025, we are facing another inflection point and shifting our focus from what Cinnamongirls do to who Cinnamongirls are. With curriculum rooted in research and expertise from child psychologists, Cinnamongirls participate in age-based cohorts that evolve alongside them with five foundational elements: Social-Emotional Learning, Leadership Development, a Capstone Project, Big Sister, Little Sister, and an optional travel experience.
By continuously providing bold opportunities and cultivating unshakeable confidence, we are creating a pipeline of female change makers and trailblazers from elementary school through high school graduation and beyond.